SAN ANTONIO — We're tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus pandemic in San Antonio and across Texas. Here are the latest numbers reported by Bexar and surrounding counties:
- Bexar County: 565 new cases and 11 fatalities from COVID-19 were reported Sunday. There have been a total of 20,213 cases and 195 virus-related fatalities in the county.
- Comal County: Comal County confirmed seven coronavirus deaths over the weekend. 29 county residents have died since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The county also reported 67 new cases Tuesday. 1,349 total coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Comal County; 458 residents have recovered.
- Hays County: As of July 13, the Hays County Local Health Department confirms there are at least 2,939 active lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19. Since Hays County first started providing numbers, a total of 3,643 lab-confirmed cases have been reported, including 11 deaths.
Bexar County reports the full numbers daily at 7 p.m.
How Bexar County is trending:
We're tracking how many coronavirus cases are confirmed in Bexar County each day from the time San Antonio Metro Health began reporting cases more than two months ago. Graphing those daily case numbers along a 14-day moving average provides an accurate picture of the curve in the San Antonio area and the direction we're heading amid the coronavirus.
On Monday, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced 565 newly confirmed coronavirus cases in Bexar County. There are now a total of 20,213 local COVID-19 cases. 11 more residents have died due to the virus, raising San Antonio's death toll to 195.
1,267 residents remain hospitalized in Bexar County. 421 patients are in ICU, while 257 patients are on ventilators. 10 percent of local hospital beds remain available, while 45% of ventilators are available.
Mayor Nirenberg announced a new COVID-19 Risk Level meter, which assesses the seven factors local leaders are closely watching and rates the risk of contracting coronavirus in the San Antonio area. Bexar County remains in-between "severe" and "critical" risk when examining the local two-week decline in cases, testing capacity, contact tracing, hospital trends, doubling rate, positivity rate, and hospital stress.
Coronavirus in Texas
Health officials reported 5,655 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus Monday, bringing the total number of cases to 264,313. An additional 43 Texans have died from COVID-19, raising the death toll in the state to 3,235.
For the first time in a month, the number of Texans in the hospital with COVID-19 dropped, albeit slightly by 5. More than 10,000 remain hospitalized with the coronavirus. There are 12,066 available hospital beds statewide, while the number of available ICU beds remains below 1,000.
State officials estimate 124,659 Texans are currently batting the coronavirus while 136,419 have recovered.
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Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.
On June 25, the CDC expanded the list of groups at a higher risk of severe illness due to coronavirus.
Experts determined there was consistent evidence these conditions increase a person's risk, regardless of age:
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Obesity (BMI of 30 or higher)
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
- Sickle cell disease
- Type 2 diabetes
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread...
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
- Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
Help stop the spread of coronavirus
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Eat and sleep separately from your family members
- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- The CDC recommends wearing a mask or cloth face covering if you have to be out due to an essential service or essential activity such as going to the grocery store.
- If you are 60 or over and have an underlying health condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or respiratory illnesses like asthma or COPD, the World Health Organization advises you to try to avoid crowds or places where you might interact with people who are sick.